Expert: Nan - 7/6/2010

Question
Hi Nan,
 We are arriving on a cruise ship in August for 2 days and I was wondering what is the best land tour that you recommend and what we should be sure to see..It's our 1st time there...We are not big snorkelers or swimmers...Thank-you so much..Also the best place to buy a painting of Bermuda by a local artist...

Answer
Hi Judy,

I, too, will be in Bermuda next month and on my to-do list is always a visit to the City Hall and Arts Center which houses the Bermuda National Gallery and the Bermuda Society of Arts Gallery. It's easy to find on Church Street in the City of Hamilton.

While in Hamilton, stroll along Front Street (yes, it's very, very "touristy" but a must-see along the Harbor's edge) and check out the watercolors by local artist Carole Holding. She has her own shop on Front Street.

For more local art, be sure to visit the Bermuda Arts Center at the Royal Naval Dockyard where you'll find galleries and artist studios, crafts, pottery and not-to-be missed Bermuda Rum Cakes. Also in Dockyard is one of my favorite museums, the Bermuda Maritime Museum and Commissioner's House.

At the "other end" of Bermuda is the Town of St. George. This is a lovely and very walkable destination where you'll need to visit St. Peter's Church, which is perhaps one of the most photographed scenes in Bermuda.  The Tucker House Museum is also worth a stop.

In between Dockyard and St. George is the aquarium in Flatts Village (Flatts is also home to my favorite restaurant: Rustico.) If this type of sightseeing is of interest to you, you'll also want to visit the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute just on the outskirts of the City of Hamilton.

Though I don't know your port of call, these sights are easily accessible by cab or public transportation. For a land tour, I recommend that you simply hire a taxi at your port of call and book a tour of several hours. Bermudian taxi drivers are wonderfully knowledgeable and enjoy showing off their islands. Ask specifically about "Blue Flag" or "Blue Bonnet" taxi tour guides.

You might also like to ferry around from port to port. Bermuda now has several high speed ferries in and out of Hamilton, Dockyard, etc.

I think an itinerary like this will keep you busy for two days and will take you from one end of Bermuda to the other. If you have time, visit Gibbs Lighthouse in Southampton and check out the view!

Enjoy your trip!

Nan